Ex-AL lawmakers killed in NatoreMasked assailants killed a former lawmaker and injured one of his companions in Lalpur upazila in Natore district on Friday, triggering political backlash and a half-day hartal call in the district for

Danger lurks at MouchakThe 75-foot deep building construction site at Mouchak intersection that caved in after Thursday's heavy rain may collapse any time taking with it the adjacent roads and structures, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakhkha

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Hill cutting raises quake fearBangladesh might be hit by a major disaster "any time" unless indiscriminate cutting of hills is stopped in southeastern parts of this South Asian country, an expert warned here yesterday.

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Power tariff may go up after budgetThe government may increase tariff for power consumed from the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) and Power Development Board (PDB) after the budget.

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Experts doubt US claims on WMDsSome US and British intelligence analysts who have examined trailers found in Iraq doubt the US government's conclusion that they were used to produce biological weapons, the New York Times reported yesterday.

Advani instigated demolition of Babri MosqueIn a new twist to the Babri Masjid demolition case, five accused yesterday alleged they had pulled down the disputed structure at Ayodhya at the instigation of LK Advani and other senior BJP leaders,a

Quality education must for democracy: PMPrime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday said her government attaches great importance to improving the standard of education in order to make independence and democracy meaningful.

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Cross-exam of 15th PW endsCross-examination of the 15th prosecution witness in the Shazneen case, Sub-inspector Mohammad Shamsul Haq, by lawyers of all the accused ended yesterday.

Focus on expanded global market pieSpeakers at a roundtable yesterday observed Bangladesh should try to increase its share in the global market rather than focusing on regional market only.

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Struggling SMEs to get $12m boostAccess to finance remains a major problem blocking the way to growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh as these are too large to qualify for micro-credit finance and, on the other hand,

US jobless rate rises to 9-yr high in May The US unemployment rate rose to a nine-year high of 6.1 percent in May as businesses axed 17,000 jobs, the government said Friday, reflecting a sluggish postwar recovery with slim pickings for the jobless.

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SARS wipes out 3m tourism jobs in AsiaSARS has wiped out three million tourism jobs in the worst-hit parts of Asia since mid-March, delivering a harder hit than the September 11 attacks, the Bali bombings and the Iraq war, an industry group

Cricket:Milestone report made publicBangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) presided Ali Asghar termed the probe report on Bangladesh's debacle in the South Africa World Cup as a milestone in the history of country's sport.

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Cricket:Mashud seeks forgivenessUnder-fire former national captain Khaled Mashud yesterday sent a letter to Bangladesh Cricket Board president Ali Asghar in an attempt to clarify his position after being identified in the probe report

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Cricket:Zim face innings defeatZimbabwe were just three wickets away from the second innings defeat of their two-match Test series against England at the Riverside here Saturday.

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Cricket:Elated after 'silly day'Richard Johnson was delighted with his England Test debut after starring with both bat and ball to put Zimbabwe on the rack after the second day of the second Test at the Riverside here Friday.

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Cricket:Rough road aheadDashing, daring and dynamic, Ajay Jadeja was one of India's sweethearts until he was tainted by a damning federal report on cricket match-fixing.

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Cricket:WI, SL look to futureA resurgent West Indies and a new-look Sri Lanka begin a three-match series of one-day internationals on Saturday with each determined to show the cricketing world they are entering a new era of success.

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Tennis:French Open Henin'sJustine Henin-Hardenne, the fourth seed, became the first Belgian to win a Grand Slam title when she demolished countrywoman Kim Clijsters, the second seed, 6-0, 6-4 in 67 minutes here on Saturday.

Hasina blames BNP for Natore MP killingLeader of the Opposition in Parliament Sheikh Hasina said the former Awami League (AL) lawmaker Momtaz Hossain was killed by armed cadres of the ruling party under the directions of a 'minister'.

UNDP resumes activities in CHTThe United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has resumed development activities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) with a preliminary allocation of Tk 12 crore for pilot schemes.

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5 killed in Bogra road mishapFour people were killed and four others injured in a road accident on the Dhaka-Bogra Highway in Sherpur upazila yesterday

The dead were identified as Promad, 40, of Aminpur village, Jamal, 22, andHossain

The sole sarod player in the mediaIt was in the nineties in India.' Md Yousuf Khan recalled, 'We went there in a cultural tour and performed a dance drama Mahua on stage. There the audience greatly applauded the performance.

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Memorable Bangla songsThe launching ceremony of the CD and audio cassette 'Ke Tumi Aamare Dako,' a collection of memorable Bengali songs by Nasima Shaheen was held on 6th June 2003 at the German Cultural Centre, says a press

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Theatre for educationThe text syllabus for children, especially in our country, is often too monotonous to generate any pleasant learning, says Palakar of Class Acts.

UN finds fault with Iran on nuke obligationsThe United Nations nuclear watchdog has accused Iran of failing to comply with safeguards intended to ensure it does not build an atomic bomb, according to a confidential report obtained by Reuters Friday.

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Clear cracks in BJPIndia's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have sought to put a lid on the recent controversy over leadership but the fault line appears more distinct than ever before on Saturday.

Pak parliament meets amid fears of showdownPakistan's parliament meets for the first time in two months Saturday for the presentation of its national budget as opposition parties warned they would block the session if President Pervez Musharraf's

Editorial:Ousting goonsTwo very senior BNP and Awami League leaders agreed in principle at the concluding session of the National Policy Review Forum 2003 that criminals who have settled in their folds are more of a liability

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Editorial:A warm welcome to the New AgeWe extend a hearty welcome to the New Age, the latest entrant into the very vibrant world of print media of Bangladesh. Ours is a field where more there are the better it is.

National Policy Review ForumIt is indeed a matter of pride and honour that influential papers like The Daily Star and ProtsDialogue (CPD) are organising meetings with eminent personalities to discuss national policy for the steps

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Corporate democracy or mass representation?American promise of genuine self-government for Iraq has yet to materialise and the issue is fading as the media gradually diminishes focus on all the pre war promises and hypes.

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Revamping EPBExport promotion bureau was set up for the promotion of export activities of the country. But it could not attain its goal due to various problems.

City dwellers will witness women traffic police for the first time in Dhaka's history from today.

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All that glittersThey work with small hammers on anvils and with other necessities like moulds, acid and pincers scattered around.

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From craze to addictionSince fields and playgrounds are diminishing fast from the cityscape and the real estate business is swallowing all empty spaces, video games have fast become a craze for many city kids.

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Multitude of multi-storiesDhaka, once known as a city of mosques, has turned into a city of concrete where commercial structures dominate the skyline.

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Meridian trees a mistakeIf you've travelled on a double-decker bus, you may have had to duck to avoid them! Especially along Elephant Road.

Tree branches, that is.

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Telephone service swindleFew people are aware that the Bangladesh Telephone Shilpa Shangstha (BTSS) has its own telephone service and complaint centre where the city's residents are supposed to get proper help with their telephone

The creation of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar encompassed the most violent period in the common history of two nations, the birth of a new nation, and followed Bangladesh through its first two turbulent decades.